Many people are scared of going to the dentist. What is the reason for this? They simply may have had one bad experience, or they may have just heard that the dentist can be scary.

How do parents pass on their fears?

Many children are scared of the dentist regardless of if they have a reason to be or not. One actual reason is that their parents are scared of going, and this fear has been passed on to them.

Parents can show their fears at various times. They may show it while waiting with their children in the waiting room. They may share a bad story prior to even entering the building. They may even seem to have anxiety while they are with with their children who are sitting in the dental chair. Regardless of where the parents are showing it, the children pick up on their fear.

How can parents help?

Parents can prevent their own fears from being passed on to their child by monitoring what they say and do. Understanding that they can potentially pass their dental fears on to their child typically will help parents watch what they are saying and doing. Usually most parents do not even realize that they are showing signs of fear.

Parents should also avoid telling their children about any unpleasant experiences they may have had while visiting a dentist in the past. In fact, parents should do what they can to make the teeth cleaning process more fun.

Start your children off right by taking them to see the dentist at an early age. This will get them used to visiting and getting a cleaning on a regular basis, which will also help them establish good habits for the rest of their lives. Make sure that you build your children’s belief that the dentist is not a bad place and simply somewhere they need to go to ensure that their teeth are healthy.

If you need any additional tips on how to avoid passing on your dental fears to your children, contact us today!